The Blacklist 4x18 Thoughts
May. 7th, 2017 11:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iariaPhilomena (No. 61)
+ Red/Dembe were the best. I loved the hospital scene. Red telling Dembe "You're my friend", admitting Dembe was his 'one friend' and that he was ashamed of the way he misjudged him was so great. It was nice to see Red admit he was wrong and admit to his remorse over it. Red telling Dembe his importance to Red was exactly what I wanted, especially after sad Dembe telling Aram that Red was one of only three people he had. I love that Red made sure that Dembe knew he could leave whenever he wanted. I loved Dembe's unshakable "I'm not going to leave." and I love them back together at the end like they should be.
+ While I loved Red telling Dembe he's his only friend because of how it mirrors with Dembe's feelings I don't actually buy it. Based on all the interactions between Red and Kate over the seasons I genuinely believe she was his friend too and he considered her one. I mean at one point he called her his better half! He listened to her, he let her close at vulnerable moments, he trusted her implicitly (the only other person than Dembe) which is why her betrayal hurt so much. She was his friend.
+ I liked Joe and Marvin's loyalty to Red. I loved Marvin's reaction when he saw it was Kaplan who captured him. Kate wasn't wrong that by forcing Marvin out with a week left till parole Red didn't help him - but after that Marvin went to a tropical country with his girlfriend, which isn't bad and that not working out isn't Red's fault. Frankly I'd consider Red almost killing Marvin when he thought Marvin was behind his poisoning a bigger potential issue. Though based on their interactions Marvin seems to be completely over it. So I'm a little surprised but very pleased that Marvin didn't even consider betraying Red. I wonder why Joe changed his mind at the end?
+ I found the Liz/Kate scene a tad anti-climatic. I guess I was building it up too much in my mind. Kate gently touching the side of Liz's face as she left was lovely but knowing the past connection between them I suppose I was expecting something more. Kate loved Masha deeply and I want Liz to know that, and Kate to show it. Plus Kate has Red's secrets and has every reason to start telling Liz the truth but she kept that to a minimum and Liz didn't demand more. Give me more show!
+ I did find it interesting that Kate appears to have given up on Liz in a way. She thinks she failed Liz - so what she's doing now is for Agnes. It makes me wonder if at some point she could try and take Agnes from Liz if Liz continues to support Red.
+ Kate telling Liz that she hasn't seen Agnes since she helped Liz escape/run is obviously not true which gives support to the idea that there is something seriously wrong with Kate's memory.
+ I like that Liz feels responsible for what happened to Kate and that she wants to keep her safe. I like the idea of her being torn between the two of them and I'm hoping that comes into play more in future episodes. Liz pointed out to Red that by hurting Kate he's also hurting her - and this is also true for Kate as hurting Red will hurt Liz - and I hope this also is brought up again. Ostensibly both of them want to protect her at all costs so them ending up as the ones to hurt her most would seem to be the likely route things will go.
+ I feel like I should be keeping track of when Red calls Liz by different versions of her name and if they ever match up. When Liz asks Red to promise not to harm Kate Red tells her "I can't do that Elizabeth" and using Elizabeth is always Red at his most serious.
+ Oh Liz, don't use Agnes to punish Red.
+ I'm confused about the prints on the record cleaning brush. Not on them not matching Red - it's clear that that's supposed to be the big mystery and I am interested in it (idea: clearly Red is not the Raymond Reddington whose prints are in the system? But then you'd have thought the FBI would have printed him among other things back when he turned himself in, or maybe it's just that Harold covered for him) - but the fact that everyone seemed to think it made sense that it would be Red's fingerprint. First, I reject the idea that Mr. Kaplan would be that careless and miss something. Second, why the heck would Red have touched the brush? Maybe I'm missing something about record players but he wouldn't need to use the brush to use it. The most logical person to have left the print was Diane Fowler.
+ I liked Aram asking Red if he really shot Mr. Kaplan but the complete lack of reaction to his admitting that he did so was a little weird. It might have just been a directing issue but I wanted more reaction than we got to it. Aram is very loyal to Red so is this going to affect that?
+ I'm pretty over Samar and Aram's never-ending back-and-forth miscommunication and inability to get it together.
+ Red/Dembe were the best. I loved the hospital scene. Red telling Dembe "You're my friend", admitting Dembe was his 'one friend' and that he was ashamed of the way he misjudged him was so great. It was nice to see Red admit he was wrong and admit to his remorse over it. Red telling Dembe his importance to Red was exactly what I wanted, especially after sad Dembe telling Aram that Red was one of only three people he had. I love that Red made sure that Dembe knew he could leave whenever he wanted. I loved Dembe's unshakable "I'm not going to leave." and I love them back together at the end like they should be.
+ While I loved Red telling Dembe he's his only friend because of how it mirrors with Dembe's feelings I don't actually buy it. Based on all the interactions between Red and Kate over the seasons I genuinely believe she was his friend too and he considered her one. I mean at one point he called her his better half! He listened to her, he let her close at vulnerable moments, he trusted her implicitly (the only other person than Dembe) which is why her betrayal hurt so much. She was his friend.
+ I liked Joe and Marvin's loyalty to Red. I loved Marvin's reaction when he saw it was Kaplan who captured him. Kate wasn't wrong that by forcing Marvin out with a week left till parole Red didn't help him - but after that Marvin went to a tropical country with his girlfriend, which isn't bad and that not working out isn't Red's fault. Frankly I'd consider Red almost killing Marvin when he thought Marvin was behind his poisoning a bigger potential issue. Though based on their interactions Marvin seems to be completely over it. So I'm a little surprised but very pleased that Marvin didn't even consider betraying Red. I wonder why Joe changed his mind at the end?
+ I found the Liz/Kate scene a tad anti-climatic. I guess I was building it up too much in my mind. Kate gently touching the side of Liz's face as she left was lovely but knowing the past connection between them I suppose I was expecting something more. Kate loved Masha deeply and I want Liz to know that, and Kate to show it. Plus Kate has Red's secrets and has every reason to start telling Liz the truth but she kept that to a minimum and Liz didn't demand more. Give me more show!
+ I did find it interesting that Kate appears to have given up on Liz in a way. She thinks she failed Liz - so what she's doing now is for Agnes. It makes me wonder if at some point she could try and take Agnes from Liz if Liz continues to support Red.
+ Kate telling Liz that she hasn't seen Agnes since she helped Liz escape/run is obviously not true which gives support to the idea that there is something seriously wrong with Kate's memory.
+ I like that Liz feels responsible for what happened to Kate and that she wants to keep her safe. I like the idea of her being torn between the two of them and I'm hoping that comes into play more in future episodes. Liz pointed out to Red that by hurting Kate he's also hurting her - and this is also true for Kate as hurting Red will hurt Liz - and I hope this also is brought up again. Ostensibly both of them want to protect her at all costs so them ending up as the ones to hurt her most would seem to be the likely route things will go.
+ I feel like I should be keeping track of when Red calls Liz by different versions of her name and if they ever match up. When Liz asks Red to promise not to harm Kate Red tells her "I can't do that Elizabeth" and using Elizabeth is always Red at his most serious.
+ Oh Liz, don't use Agnes to punish Red.
+ I'm confused about the prints on the record cleaning brush. Not on them not matching Red - it's clear that that's supposed to be the big mystery and I am interested in it (idea: clearly Red is not the Raymond Reddington whose prints are in the system? But then you'd have thought the FBI would have printed him among other things back when he turned himself in, or maybe it's just that Harold covered for him) - but the fact that everyone seemed to think it made sense that it would be Red's fingerprint. First, I reject the idea that Mr. Kaplan would be that careless and miss something. Second, why the heck would Red have touched the brush? Maybe I'm missing something about record players but he wouldn't need to use the brush to use it. The most logical person to have left the print was Diane Fowler.
+ I liked Aram asking Red if he really shot Mr. Kaplan but the complete lack of reaction to his admitting that he did so was a little weird. It might have just been a directing issue but I wanted more reaction than we got to it. Aram is very loyal to Red so is this going to affect that?
+ I'm pretty over Samar and Aram's never-ending back-and-forth miscommunication and inability to get it together.
